Spirit of Truth – Baptism with the Holy Spirit
“if you play your cards right you will receive a second blessing from God that will bring you closer to him and more in tune with his character”.
Acts 1:5, John baptised with water but in a few days, you will be “baptised with/in the Holy Spirit.”
How is the phrased used in God’s word?
Not a common phrase in the NT
– Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33
– Acts 1:5, 11:16
– 1 Cor 12:12-13
Reason why this is significant …
What did Jesus mean?
… no passage that ever gives an explanation…
BUT … the events of Pentecost.
… what happens differs from one situation to the next.
… to drive home the unity all believers have in receiving Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
When does ‘Baptism with the Spirit’ occur?
…as part of a ‘second blessing’ Christian receive or when someone is converted?
Apart from those who were already followers, baptism with the Spirit only occurs when a person is converted and becomes a follower of Jesus.
… it is not an ‘added experience’
… he gives his disciples a definite expectation it will occur
… an uncompromising, unconditional promise given to all who believe.
… no biblical record of any individual only partly receiving the Holy Spirit
What is happening?
… no reason to doubt the experience
But theological truths should be based on God’s word … not personal experiences
… their theological interpretation of that experience is wrong.
Radical and rapid obedience to God’s word occurs when the gospel is preached, people are converted, and God’s word is taught.
1 Cor 12:12-13 – a warning
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by/with one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
“It’s ironic that Christians have argued so much about the baptism of the Spirit, when the apostle Paul used it as one of his main arguments to prove that we are all united in Christ!”
Do you see that your baptism with the Holy Spirit unites you EQUALLY to ALL believers?